“May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.”
Romans 15:13 AMPC
Grace Perspective:
Hope, expecting something good. In this passage, Paul highlights an aspect of God’s character, the God of hope. The foundation for our hope is Christ Jesus, the author, and perfecter of our faith, who chose to endure the cross so that we can are reconciled to God. (See Hebrews 12:2)
This passage is a prayer asking God, Who embodies all that is good, to fill us with joy and peace. Joy and peace come from believing and having faith in Jesus. Our belief is not grounded in a flimsy wish but in the solid knowledge that Christ is the Savior who died for the sin of the world so that those who believe in Him will have everlasting life. (See John 3:16) Joy springs from knowing that this life is not all there is. Eternity is coming. Peace (the assurance of knowing our eternity is secure with Christ) comes as we take all our anxieties, sorrow, fears, and requests to God in prayer. (See Philippians 4:7) The Holy Spirit will strengthen our hearts, helping us to have an abundance of gracious hope as we remember the goodness of God.
A Touch of Grace:
What leaves you feeling hopeless?
What does hope look like to you?
Grace Application:
Hope. We all need hope, especially when life is hard and we face various trials. But, unfortunately, it’s easy to slip into a place of hopelessness when life is hard and so much of what we hoped for hasn’t happened. Perhaps instead of the good things we expected, our fears have been realized: the death of a loved one, financial loss, complicated relationships,…the list could keep going.
What and whom we hope in reveals what we believe. If we place our hope in temporary things like feelings, which can change in a flash, stuff, which breaks, wears out, or becomes junk, or expect other people to meet our expectations (who can’t or won’t always fulfill them), we are bound to be disappointed. As humans, we struggle with the daily battles with our flesh and sin, so we need our hope to place in Someone who is not bogged down in that miry mix.
God gives us hope when we remember that He is in control and has a plan to bring us home to Him. He brings joy and peace when we trust Him, especially with the complex parts of life. Peace and joy aren’t dependent on our circumstances but our relationship with Him. Peace and joy are deeper than feelings and are possible even in the darkest times because God is always with us, even when we don’t feel His presence. (See Psalm 139)
If you are feeling hopeless, please let me know. My heart aches for those who don’t know Jesus as Savior and feel hopeless about what’s to come. However, if you do know Christ as Savior and feel hopeless (I struggle with this too), I would love to pray with you and encourage you to “Remember [fervently] the word and promise to Your servant, in which You have caused me to hope.” (Psalm 119:49) Remember the truth that God abounds in giving gracious hope.
Prayer:
Gracious Father, I come to You in the name of my precious Savior Jesus Christ, thankful that You are my reason to hope. Because You sent Jesus Christ to die for my sin, I have the hope of Heaven. Forgive me for the times I’ve put my hope in worthless things or allowed my feelings to drag me down into the pit of hopelessness. Holy Spirit, strengthen my heart to remember the joy and peace that comes from placing my hope in the promises of God. Amen.